All things considered
by cautiousAlbatross
Summary: Terezi has only ever talked to Karkat online, but now they're finally meeting in person.


carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

CG: HEY.

GC: H3Y K4RK4T :]

CG: SO. I'VE BEEN THINKING

GC: WH4T H4V3 YOU B33N TH1NK1NG 4BOUT?

CG: HOLD ON, I WAS GETTING THERE.

GC: OK4Y

GC: T3LL M3 WH3N YOUV3 GOT TH3R3, TH3N

CG: OKAY, WELL

CG: I WAS THINKING THAT IT MIGHT BE NICE IF WE COULD MEET UP.

CG: IN PERSON, I MEAN.

CG: SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

CG: I MEAN I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY NICE.

CG: BUT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO I GUESS THAT'S OKAY TOO.

CG: UM

CG: ARE YOU STILL THERE?

GC: Y34H, 1M H3R3

CG: SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

GC: W3LL

GC: 1 GU3SS 1T SOUNDS L1K3 4 PR3TTY GOOD 1D34

CG: BUT?

GC: BUT NOTH1NG

GC: 1 TH1NK 1TS 4 GOOD 1D34

CG: OKAY, GOOD.

CG: SO I JUST NEED TO SORT OUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

CG: ANYWAY, I'LL TALK TO YOU LATER ABOUT THE DETAILS, OKAY?

GC: OK4Y

CG: BYE.

GC: BY3

GC: 3

carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

CG: 3

carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

You're more than a little nervous about meeting Karkat in person. You've only ever talked over the internet, after all. You started dating over the internet, too, although you're not sure you could call it dating. You've both always skirted around the issue, but everyone assumes you are dating, and you never contradict them, so you suppose you must be, in a way. That's just another thing you'll have to deal with when you meet up, you suppose. To be honest, it's the least of your worries.

There's a lot Karkat doesn't know about you. For instance, the fact that you're blind, which is a pretty big thing to have overlooked. You've thought about bringing it up but never really found the right way to tell him, and now you suppose it's a little too late for that. He'll just have to find out when you meet him. You can't say you're not a little worried about that. Who knows how he'll react?

It takes you a while to arrange a time (midday) and place (Starbucks) to meet – plenty of time for you to tell him. You don't, though. You find an excuse not to every time you have the perfect opportunity. It's easy not to mention it, for something that's such a huge part of your life. You suppose it's true; you really can pretend anything on the internet. You wonder whether Karkat has any huge secrets. You think you could probably handle anything.

On the morning of the day you're supposed to be meeting him, you still haven't told him. You dress nervously, and jump at the sound of the chat notification. You'd forgotten your computer was still on. For a moment, you resist the temptation to check it, carefully retying your shoelaces, but you quickly give in.

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

CG: HEY

CG: ARE YOU THERE?

CG: I'M GOING TO LEAVE IN JUST A MOMENT.

CG: I JUST WANTED TO SAY I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU.

CG: I SUPPOSE YOU'RE BUSY RIGHT NOW.

CG: WELL. SEE YOU SOON, THEN.

GC: W41T!

carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling gallowsCalibrator [GC]

GC: D4MN

gallowsCalibrator [GC] ceased trolling carcinoGeneticist [CG]

You'll have to tell him in person, then. Swallowing nervously, you shut down your computer, then grab your cane and leave. You're running a little late, but you suppose that can't be helped. With any luck, he won't be waiting for you for too long.

When you arrive at Starbucks, you realise you might have a problem. Your blindness usually doesn't hinder you much, but being able to see might be helpful when you're trying to find someone you've never met before in an unfamiliar place. Carefully, you make your way over to the counter, nearly tripping over someone's bag, and try to think about what you're going to do next. Shouting "Karkat" in the middle of a crowded coffee shop doesn't seem like such a good idea.

"Excuse me, can I help you?" says a male voice somewhere behind you, accompanied by a tap on the shoulder.

"Oh," you say, turning around and attempting a smile, "I was just looking for someone."

"Same here," he says, and you think you can hear him smiling, "I don't suppose you know a Terezi Pyrope?"

"That's me!" you say, grinning and holding your hand out in his general direction, "So you're Karkat?"

A hand takes yours and guides it a couple of inches to the right, shaking it quickly then releasing it. You laugh, and, after a short pause, so does he.

"Yeah, that's me," he says, "Sorry if I kept you waiting, my train was delayed."

"It's okay, I only just got here," you say, smiling.

"Oh. Good. So. Do you want something to drink?"

Karkat buys hazelnut lattes for both of you, and refuses to let you pay for yours. You sit down at a corner table and sip your drinks in vaguely awkward silence.

"So," you say eventually, nervously readjusting your glasses, "You might have noticed, but... well... there's something kind of important... which I sort of forgot to tell you. Well, not really forgot. I just... didn't exactly get around to telling you."

"I'm all ears," he says, and you think you can hear a smirk in his voice.

"I'm just... a tiny little bit... completely blind."

You fall silent, wishing you could see his expression.

"Well, there's something I didn't tell you, either," he says, not sounding the slightest bit fazed by your revelation, although you suppose he must have noticed straight away.

"What's that?"

"I'm five foot two."

You try not to laugh, but you can't help it. You collapse onto the table, unable to stop giggling, nearly knocking over your half-finished latte.

"Hey, I'm not kidding!" he says, sounding indignant, "You can stop laughing."

"So-sorry," you manage, trying to stop and barely succeeding, "I'm... I just... You're... You're really five two?"

"Yeah, so what?" he says, sounding a little hurt.

You're laughing far too much to answer, although it isn't really that funny.

"Stop laughing!"

He sounds like he's probably pouting, and that just makes you laugh even more.

"I'm... I'm sorry!" you manage, "I just... I can't!"

"It's not that funny!"

"I know... I know!"

He makes a little annoyed sound, and you smile, finally managing to stop laughing.

"I'm sorry," you say, "I'm just... Well, I guess I'm just relieved, really."

"That I'm short?" he says, sounding confused.

"No, silly. That you weren't... y'know... about the blind thing."

"Oh. Right. Well... I just don't think it's really a big deal."

"Thanks," you say, smiling, "I'm not really bothered about your height, by the way."

He doesn't say anything. Your hand is lying on the table, and you smile as you feel his slide carefully on top of it.

"I'm glad we decided to do this," he says, giving your hand a little squeeze, "I think... I think I like you even more in person."

"Same," you say, slipping your fingers between his, "I mean, I like you. Not me. I like me, too, though. But not as much as I like you. Probably."

"Thanks, I think."

You open your mouth to say something, but stop when he leans forwards and gives you a quick, awkward kiss.

"Sorry," he mutters, pulling away.

You really, really wish you could see him right now. You wonder whether he's blushing, and hope he is. You think there's a high chance that he looks really adorable at the moment.

"It's all right," you say, grinning, "Maybe you could even do it again."

"Really?" he asks, and you smile a little at the hopeful note in his voice.

"Sure, why not?"

"Now, or...?"

"Yeah, go ahead," you say, leaning forwards a little.

It's a moment before you feel his lips against yours again, and this time, you kiss him back. By the time you pull away, your drinks have gone cold, but you don't particularly care. All things considered, this went a lot better than you expected it to.

"So," Karkat says, "Can we do this again some time, then?"

"I should think so," you say, grinning.

You walk out of there hand-in-hand, and you don't think you'll want to let go any time soon.


End file.
